Liner for grape shipping boxes



Nov. 13, 1934.

xxx |N VENTOR J. 1). Man? on Patented Nov. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

1,980,280" LEVER FOR GRAPE SHIPPING BOXES John D. Martin, Fresno, Calif; 7 Application June 24, 1933,-Serial No. 677,471 3 Claims. (01. 217 s) This invention relates to boxes in which fresh grapes in bunches are packed for shipment, said bunches as is well known, having a natural substantially conical shape.

5 With the ordinary vertical walled lug box commonly used it has been found almost impossible to pack the boxes with the bunches of grapes so that the latter are not broken or distorted so as to present an attractive appearance when removed. This feature has been recognized and various attempts have been made to overcome the objections to the straight sided box by building special boxes having their walls sloping, which while giving the desired results entails a considerable additional expense for manufacture over the standard type of box.

The principal object of my present invention is to attain the desired result with the use of a standard box by the provision of a lining device for such box arranged so that the desired sloping walls for engagement with the tapered bunches of grapes will be had in the interior of the box, without adding any material expense to manufacturing costs. The device of the present invention, besides having the above advantages, has the additional advantage that it may be shipped from the factory to the point of use in an extremely compact form, so that liners for a great number of boxes will occupy relatively little space in transit. Also no tools of any kind are necessary in assembling the liner for use in the box.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a standard grape shipping box with my improved liner in place therein.

Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the liner strips for the ends and sides of the box respectively.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged cross section 4;, jf the box showing the liner in place.

Fig. is a similar longitudinal section of the box.

In these two last views the top collar of the box has been removed.

50.: Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the box with which my improved liner is intended to be used is one of a standard type and comprises ends 1, ventilating side slats 2 and bottom slats 3. To

55 offset the loss of packing capacity had by reason of the insertion ofthe liner, a removable collar unit 4 is mounted on the box to increase the height and consequently the capacity of the same the necessary degree; said collar being removed with the lid (not shown) 'when the contents of the box are to be removed.

The liner comprises four initially separate rectangular strips of relatively thin and light material such as straw or fiber board. Two of these strips 5 are of a length sufilcient toextend 1 across the box and fit snugly between the sides thereof, while the other pair 6 of the strips has a length suificient to extend the full length of the box so as to fit snugly between the ends of the same. The height of the strips is such that when 7o disposed with a downward slant and with their lower edges resting on the bottom of the box, their upper edges are near the top of the box proper, as shown. The strips may have ventilating slots 7 or other openings cut therein if desired.

To couple the strips together so that they will outline a rectangular area and so that they will have an inward symmetrical slope toward their bottom edges, the strips 5 are formed with slots 8 extending downwardly in converging relation to each other from the upper corners of the strips,

said slots terminating substantially half way down the strips and having a width slightly greater than the thickness of the strips 6. Similarly the strips 85. 6 have diverging slits 9 extending approximately one-half way up from their bottom edges at a distance from the corners suflicient so that if the slits were extended, they would intersect the upper corners of said strips.

It will thus be seen that the slits in the different strips are symmetrically disposed so that when adjacent strips are, connected together by the interlocking engagement of the cooperating slits, they will be disposed on a slope with their bottom edges spaced inwardly from the vertical walls of the box and from the vertical ends of the strips themselves. The upper edges of the strips however outline a rectangular area the same size as that of the box and lie closely against the walls of the same. The liner can neither shift horizontally in the box nor can it bulge outwardly intermediate its ends, since both the top and bottom edges of all the strips engage the rigid walls of the box. The liner strips can thus be made of rela- 5; tively weak, thin and cheap material while still having ample strength for the purpose when coupled together and inserted in the box.

From inspection of Figs. 4 and 5 it will be seen that a continuous air circulating passage is formed all around the box between the outer Walls thereof and the liner strips, so that the grapes confined between the liner strips may have the necessary ventilation.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and vpreferred construction ofthe device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention that-'1?- claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a vertical wa'lled grape shipping box, a side and end liner for su chbox comprising initially separate pairs of strips to ex tend} the full. length and' width of the box and means formed, with the strips for interlocking engagement at-theiradjacent ends in a manner to cause the strips to be disposed with an inward slope toward their, lower ends.

\ 35A side and end liner for a grape shipping box comprising pairs of initially separate strips toe'xtendthe 1111 length and. width of the box and substantially the full height thereof, and means formed with said strips for detachably connecting them together in interlocking relation and in a manner to cause the upper edges of the strips to outline a rectangular area the size of; the box horizontally, but so that the lower edges outline an area symmetrical to but smaller,

than that of rthe box. 2 JOHN D. MARTIN. 

